Masonry crevice-forming template



1932. c. F. B YTLE MASONRY CREVICE FORMING TEMPLATE Filed Aug. l, 1929 Mwah 22,

-HQE Q Patented Mar. 22, 1932 n CHARLES F. LYTLE, OF SIOUX CITY, IOWA.

MASONRY CREVIOE-FORMING TEMPLATE yApplication fued August 1, 1929. semi No. 382,778.

This invention relates to improvements in yapparatus for formingexpansion joints in masonry, and more particularly road-surfac- 1 ing concrete.

The object in view is the eective retention of the concrete cast in a position for providing a key-way or expansion crevice by apparatus .possessing especially efficient means for withdrawal without injury to itself or to the v i0 concrete.

Lightness, f sturdiness, and ease of repair of such apparatus are also objects of the pres ent invention, and with these and further objects in view as will in part hereinafter become apparent and in part be stated, the invention comprises a template and means for effectively withdrawing the template after the set of the concrete without danger of injur?7 to the concrete or to the template.

he invention comprises ycertain other novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts as subsequently specified and thereafter pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings,un Figure 1 is a top plan view of a template embodying the features of the present invention, parts being broken away forthe saving of space. Figure 2 is a transverse, vertical section therethrough takenon the plane indicated by line 2-2 of Figure 3.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary, vertical section taken on the plane indicated by line 3-3 of Figure 2. y

It has heretofore been the practice to place a wooden or metallic strip to serve as the matrix or form in which to cast concrete and in road building expansion crevices have been provided by utilizing a similar plate, but after the concrete has taken its initial set, or even' subsequently thereto, when withdrawal of the plate is attempted, margins of the concrete are frequently injured, and it is' also sometimes found extremely diicult to remove an embedded plate of this kind without the exertion of a great deal of energy and the endangering of substantial damage.

The present invention `obviates all these difficulties by providing a crevice` forming template adapted to be withdrawn laterally instead of edgewise, and by providing means offeasymanipulation for effecting such lateral withdrawal.

Referring to the drawing by numerals, l indicates a narrow, troughlike template formed preferably of a sheet of metal folded into approximately V-shape with the apex of the V rounded instead of brought to an edge. The sides of the ythus-produced template are each of a width equal to the depth of the masonry wall or layer of road surface, or at least of that part thereof which is to be formed with an expansion crevice. Fixed to and extending inwardly from the inner face of each side plate of template l are buttons 2, 2, riveted or otherwise effectively anchored to the plate, and each provided with a shank 3 spacing the respective button 2 from the inner face of the respective side plate of template l. As many buttons 2 may be employed as desired, and the buttons are preferably spaced approximately .equidistant in the length of the template.

With the template l is arranged a folded sheet, preferably of metal, forming a troughlike removable wedge 4. Vedge 4 has its side faces flush against the inner faces of the v plate comprising template l, and the said faces are formed with vertical slots 5 snugly ac- 80 commodating theshanks 3.of the respective but-tons 2, so that the buttons overhang the inner faces of the side plates making up wedge 4. y

In operation, the template l is positioned to receive the cast of concrete, and the concrete is located at both sides of the ltemplate and allowed to stand until set, and thereafter the withdrawal wedge 4 is pulled upward out lof the template l. It is to be understood, of course, that usually the concrete will come flush with the upper edge of template l, but will never overhang such edge and may fall below the edge. It is to be observed that as the withdrawal wedge 4 is pulled upward, 95 the buttons 2 having sliding engagement with the inner faces of the plates comprising the wedge 4 will be wedged laterally; that is to say, the buttons of one side plate of template l and the buttons of the other side plate willv 109 y be moved toward each other, so that the reythe fold at the apex or lower` edge of the template 1 serves in the'nature of a hingeony which the side plates of template 1 move with with al springing movement, but, ofcourse, a mechanical hinge may be substituted if and when desired. Y

` f The wedge 4 is susceptible of a wide range of variation in construction", butis preferably in the form of a sheet of metal, or other appropriate material, having its upper or exposed edges cross-braced to aid in stabilizing and retaining the template 1 inoperative condiytion durin the casting and setting of the concrete. his cross-bracing may consist of any acceptible stays or webbing, a simple and eflicient form of cross-bracingbeing indicated inthe 4drawing as produced by folded and lapped portions 6, 6, formed from the sheet of which the wedge 4'is formed. The said overlapping portionsermay be spot welded or'otherwise fixedtogether, or, when desired, detachabl connected, asr by being bolted together. form of folded parts 6, 6, or otherwise, is provided with tool-receivingapertures 7, 7, or the required upward pull on the wedge 4.

-After the template khas been withdrawn,

it can: readily be conditioned for re-use by merely pushing the wedge 4'back to the seated position'seen best in Figure 2.

`Inthe event of injury to any of the parts, or other` occasion requiringror lmaking desirableseparation of the wedge 4 from the template 1, itis preferable to provide aper- V :tures v8, 8, having lateralpassageways 9, 9,

'leadingfrom ythe slots' at any appropriate point in the length of the slots, as,` for exam le, at theupper ends thereof, sothat by to the template 1 4 longitudinally; relativev sli ing the* wedge while i the shanks 3 are in line with the'lateral passageways 9, the buttons 2 maybe located: in line with the open- ,r ingsS, and, as said openings arelarger'than `the buttons, thebuttons may be withdrawn from the openings and the template 1 thus de- -tachedfrom the wedge member 4. l

`/The wedge member 4 while referred to as f' a withdrawing Wedge is, in fact intended to and does function kas a wedge in two direc-VV tions. f If the sides plates of template 1 should become pressed together, as by being 'slightly crushed nearer than normally intended vror otherwise y distorted, ythe insertion of vthe wedge'4 between saidside plates will spread Y tweeny side hecros's-bracing whether of theV hand-holes to enable the operator to exert gaging lapse of the template.

the same to the normal condition; and the part 4 also functions essentially as a wedge v in causing the inclined planes of its inner faces to wedge the buttons 2 toward the center and thereby pull the side plates of template 1 inward under a wedging action.

NVhat is claimed is:

' l. In apparatus of theclass described, the combination of a substantially troughshapedy template, a wedge within the template', and means providing a sliding connec tion betweensideplates of the template and wedge for effecting 4inward lateral movement of the side plateslincident to withdrawal movement of the wedge. e y Y 2. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a substantiallytroughfshaped template, a Wedge within the"template,fand means providing ja sliding connection vbeplates of the template and wedge forefecting inward lateral movement of the side plates incident to withdrawal movement Vof the wedge, the wedge comprising sheet material of trough shape ,Y i e e 3. In apparatus of the class described, the- `combinationof ya substantially trough-shaped template, a wedge within the template,rand

means providing a sliding nnectlon be` tween side plates of the template and` wedge terial of .trough shape and the sliding connection comprising overlying buttons and slotengaging means. f u .Y

l4.In apparatus of the` classdeseribed, the combination of a trough-shaped template, Va similarly shaped wedging element withinjthe template and having transverse slots, andv buttons carriedV by,` shanlis'extending throughsaid slots-for enablingy the buttons tooverhang parts ofthe wedgingelement; r .f f y e 5. In apparatus of the class described, the

combination `of a ytemplate formed yof asheet Ymaterial folded. to trough t shapefa Ysimilar sheet of material locatedwthin said template,

fand means at ,portions ,of the. templateV adjacent the lfree margins thereof for slidingly interengaging the inner sheet.

6. Inapparatus ofthe 'class described, they 1 combination of al template. formed of a sheet of material folded to trough shape, asimilar sheet of material located within said template, meansfatportions of the template adjacent the free' Vmargins thereof for slidinglyi'nteren- Ymeans forthe inner sheet forvresisting co1- 7 In". apparatus of the combination of a'template formedof a sheet of' material'ifo'lded to troughi shape, a v

similar sheet of material,locatedl'within said the template and L 'having the rinner. sheet, and. cross-bracing the @as law-lad;

k'tenziplata'means at yportions ofi the template adj aoent thefree margins thereof forfslidingly interengaging the inner sheet, and crossbracing means for the inner sheet for resisting collapse of the template, the said cross-bracing means having means for engagement of withdrawal means for withdrawing the inner sheet with respect to the template.

8. In an expansion joint apparatus of the class described, the combination of a template including laterally spaced side plates, a conil@ tinuous wedge member adapted to extend substantially the full length of said template intermediate said side plates for retalning said side plates in substantial alignment, said wedge member having elongated transverse slots formed therein at intervals, and means on said template adapted to cooperate with said slots for moving the said side plates laterally toward each other incident to withdrawal movement of the wedge member.

9. In an apparatus of the class described,

the combination of a substantially troughshaped template formed of a continuous piece of sheet material, a correspondingly shaped wedge member formed of a continuous piece of sheet material adapted to be positioned within said template, said wedge member having laterally extending flanges formed on the upper edges thereof and adapted to overlap to constitute bracing means resisting collapse of said template, and means for collapsing said template incident to withdrawal movement of said wedge member.

l0. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of a template formed of a sheet of material folded to trough-shape, a similar sheet of material located within said template, and means at portions of said template adjacent to the free margins thereof for slidingly interengaging the inner sheet, said inner sheet having means whereby the said template and inner sheet may be disengaged incident to a preliminary relative longitudinal movement of said template and inner sheet.

1l. In apparatus of the class described,

L15 the combination of a trough-shaped template, a similar shaped wedging element within the template and having transverse slots, and buttons carried by the template khaving Shanks eX- tending through said slots for enabling the buttons to overhang parts of the wedging element, said Wedging element having openings associated with said transverse slots whereby the said template and inner sheet may be disengaged.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CHARLES F. LYTLE. 

